D2 head coach Lennie Acuff hired at Lipscomb

Lennie Acuff, who has been the head coach at Division II Alabama-Huntsville for the last 22 seasons, has been named the new head coach at Lipscomb. This is the first Division I gig of any kind for Acuff, a Huntsville-native who has 533 career wins at the D-II and NAIA levels.

“Anyone who knows basketball at all knows that Lennie Acuff is recognized as one of the top basketball coaches at any level and over four hours of conversation I had with a number of coaches on the high school, travel-ball and college level proved that,” AD Philip Hutcheson said Wednesday. “One DI coach told me he was glad he wasn’t getting hired into his conference because he didn’t want to have to play him twice a year and another told me that he imagined the coaches in his current conference were likely happier than anyone that he was moving somewhere else.”

Acuff led the UAH Chargers to the NCAA Tournament eleven times, including eight in the last ten years (with three Sweet 16s and two Elite 8s). He built his hometown school into a Division II powerhouse and leaves as the Gulf South Conference’s all-time winningest head coach. In 2012, the Chargers became the first non-DI school to play in the NIT Season Tip-Off and actually defeated North Texas in their opening game.

“I am thrilled, very humbled and thankful for the opportunity,” Acuff said in a release. “I understand the tradition that exists with Lipscomb basketball and I will do everything I can to continue to build upon that tradition. I have a tremendous amount of appreciation and respect for what has been here in the past. It is a job I take very seriously and I look forward to having the chance to meet everyone involved in Lipscomb basketball.”

Lipscomb has been to the postseason each of the last two years. Former head coach Casey Alexander led the Bisons to an NIT Runner-up finish in 2019 before heading across town to take over at alma mater Belmont.

credit to UAH Athletics for the photo